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World of Concrete 2015 exceeded expectations across the board with a double-digit growth from its previous edition.
Celebrating 41 years of industry excellence, World of Concrete 2015 exceeded expectations across the board. The signature event for the concrete industry drew 55,779 registered professionals, up from just over 48,000 in 2014, and featured more than 1,459 companies exhibiting across more than 675,000 net sq ft of space, an increase of more than 100,000 net sq ft from 2014. This was the largest World of Concrete in six years, and the energy and excitement from both attendees and exhibitors was palpable throughout the week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. ?The excitement and energy we saw at the World of Concrete this year was like no other. We are pleased with the results of the show in all categories from the increase in the number of exhibitors (up 200 companies) to the increase in attendees (up 15 per cent) to the increase in the number of seminars taken (up 23 per cent). These increases show not only the value that World of Concrete brings to the concrete and masonry industries but also shows that the industry is getting stronger and poised for much success in 2015,? said Tom Cindric, Vice President, Informa Exhibitions US, Construction & Real Estate.

?With the industry ramping up again education became a key asset at World of Concrete this year. Attendees took more classes than they have in the last six years sharpening their skills for what?s to come. In addition, international attendees made a big impact scouring the show for new equipment, tools, and technology to make their operations more efficient and profitable,? said Jackie James, Show Director, World of Concrete.

Highlights of the 2015 edition included the opening ceremony awarding the World of Concrete Legacy Award to Ed Sauter, Executive Director, Tilt-Up Concrete Association, and Executive Director, Concrete Foundations Association, along with the Weatherton Scholarship, providing funds to help the next generation of concrete professionals attending the CIM (Concrete Industry Management) programme. In addition, CIM held its annual unreserved silent and live auctions at World of Concrete. The silent and live auctions raised an initial tally of approximately $800,000.

For the fourth year, World of Concrete 2015 recognized the accomplishments of crews in the commercial construction/masonry industry with the Crews that Rock competition, sponsored by BASF. Crew members were honoured for their teamwork and contributions to the industry and their communities. Projects were submitted in one of the two categories, Community Service/Not-for-Profit and Commercial/For-Profit. With 25 total finalists, including 19 in the Commercial category and six in the Community Service category, the contest resulted in thousands of online votes and tremendous interest through social networks.

World of Concrete 2016 will be held February 2-5; Seminars 1-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. World of Concrete is the industry?s only annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits with the industry?s leading suppliers showcasing innovative products and technologies, exciting demonstrations and competitions, and a world-class education programme.

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Economy & Market

Hindalco Buys US Speciality Alumina Firm for $125 Million

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This strategic acquisition marks a significant investment in speciality alumina, a key step by Aditya Birla Group’s metals flagship towards becoming future-ready by scaling its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

Hindalco Industries, the world’s largest aluminium company by revenue and the metals flagship of the $28 billion Aditya Birla Group, has announced the acquisition of a 100 per cent equity stake in US-based AluChem Companies—a prominent manufacturer of speciality alumina—for an enterprise value of $125 million. The transaction will be executed through Aditya Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary.

This acquisition represents a pivotal investment in speciality alumina and advances Hindalco’s strategy to expand its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

Hindalco’s speciality alumina business, a key pillar of its value-added strategy, has delivered consistent double-digit growth in recent years. It has emerged as a high-growth, high-margin vertical within the company’s portfolio. As speciality alumina finds expanding applications across electric mobility, semiconductors, and precision ceramics, the deal positions Hindalco further up the innovation curve, enabling next-generation alumina solutions and value-accretive growth.

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, called the acquisition an important step in their global strategy to build a leadership position in value-added, high-tech materials.

“Our strategic foray into the speciality alumina space will not only accelerate the development of future-ready, sustainable solutions but also open new pathways to pursue high-impact growth opportunities. By integrating advanced technologies into our value chain, we are reinforcing our commitment to self-reliance, import substitution, and building scale in innovation-led businesses.”

Ronald P Zapletal, Founder, AluChem Companies, said the partnership with Hindalco would provide AluChem the ability and capital to scale up faster and build scale in North America.

“AluChem will benefit from their world-class sustainability and safety standards and practices, access to integrated operations and a consistent, reliable raw material supply chain. Their ability to leverage R&D capabilities and a talented workforce adds tremendous value to our innovation pipeline, helping drive market expansion beyond North America.”

An Eye on the Future

The global speciality alumina market is projected to grow significantly, with rising demand for tailored solutions in sectors such as ceramics, electronics, aerospace, and medical applications. Hindalco currently operates 500,000 tonnes of speciality alumina capacity and aims to scale this up to 1 million tonnes by FY2030.

Commenting on the development, Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, said the deal reinforced their commitment to innovation and global expansion.

“As alumina gains increasing relevance in critical and clean-tech sectors, AluChem’s advanced chemistry capabilities will significantly enhance our ability to serve these fast-evolving markets. Importantly, it deepens our high-value-added portfolio with differentiated products that drive profitability and strengthen our global competitiveness.”

AluChem adds a strong North American presence to Hindalco’s portfolio, with an annual capacity of 60,000 tonnes across three advanced manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Arkansas. The company is a long-standing supplier of ultra-low soda calcined and tabular alumina, materials prized for their thermal and mechanical stability and widely used in precision engineering and high-performance refractories.

Saurabh Khedekar, CEO of the Alumina Business at Hindalco Industries, said the acquisition unlocked immediate synergies, including market access and portfolio diversification.

“Hindalco plans to work with AluChem’s high performance technology solutions and scale up production of ultra-low soda alumina products to drive a larger global market share.”

The transaction is expected to close in the upcoming quarter, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

 

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Concrete

Shree Cement reports 2025 financial year results

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Shree Cement posted revenue of US$2.38 billion for FY2025, marking a 5.5 per cent decline year-on-year. Operating costs rose 2.9 per cent to US$2.17 billion, resulting in an EBITDA of US$528 million—down 12 per cent from the previous year. Net profit fell 50 per cent to US$141 million. The company reported cement sales of 9.84Mt in Q4 FY2025, a 3.3 per cent increase from 9.53Mt in Q4 FY2024, with premium products making up 16 per cent of total sales.

Image source:https://newsmantra.in/

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Concrete

Rekha Onteddu to become director at Sagar Cements

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Sagar Cements has announced the appointment of Rekha Onteddu as a non-executive independent director, effective 30 June 2025. According to People in Business News, Rekha Onteddu is currently serving in a similar capacity at Andhra Cements, the parent company of Sagar Cements.

Image source:https://sagarcements.in/

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